Remote controlled pressure relief valve



May 30, 1939- R. M. PARSONS .2,159,979

REMOTE CONTROLLED PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE INVENTOR ag Af. Pam ons RNEY May 30, 1939- R. M. PARSONS 2,159,979

REMOTE CONTROLLED PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE Filed July 15, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'i 'A OR EY @5M/Mmmm Y .nl III Patented May 30, 1939 `3 Claims.

This invention relates to remote controlled, pressure relief 4valves and has for an object to provide a valve which combines in a single unit;

fully disclosed. go' 'I'his application isa continuation-impart of rny co-pending application Ser. No. 97,088, filed August 21, 1936. A

The various novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention are pointed g out more particularly in the claims appended hereto. IThe invention will be betterv understood, however, by referring to the following description, taken in connection with theA accompanying drawings, in which a certain specic embodiment thereof has been set forth for purposes of illustration. u

In the drawings: -Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a pressure relief valve embodying the present invention; Fig.. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 isua horizontal section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;,A

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4o ll-ll of Fig. 3 showing the support for the fluid pressure motor;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 showing the inspection and adjusting ports; and Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken along the line 6-'6 of Fig. 5.

In the following description and in the claims, certain terms are used for convenience in referring to various details of the invention. It

is to be understood, however, that these terms are to be given as broad an interpretation as the state of the art will permit.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, the valve is shown as comprising a housing lil (Figs.

1 and 2) having an inlet port il and an outthe functions of a pressure relief valve and of apparent as the nature of the invention is more UNITED STATES PATENT .OFI-ICE to Bechtel-McCone-Par'sons Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Nevada Application July 15, 41938, Serial No. 219,308

let port I2 communicating through a valve ori-` flce I4 having a seat i5 engaged by a valve member i5. The valve member i6 is slidably mounted in a bushing Il which is attached by screws i8 and i9 to the housing iii and is carried on a valve 5 vstem 20 which extends upwardly through a bushing 2| and carries a spring 22 which is seated between a disc 23 attached to said stem and a disc 24 which is engaged by a sleeve 26. The sleevev 26 is threaded into an extension 21 formed on a 1o bonnet 28 which surrounds the stem 20 and spring 22 and isbolted, as by bolts29, tothe housing i0. The bonnet 2B is shown as provided with cooling fins 30 and as seated on a washer 3i which is carried 'by the housing ill and provides a uid E5 tight seal therefor.

The sleeve 26 is provided with an adjusting nut 35 .and a lock nut 36' by which the position thereof in the bonnet 23 may be adjusted. A

shim 37- may be provided between the adjusting go nut 35 and the lock nut 36 to form a stop and limit the extent of downward adjustment of said sleeve. The arrangement is such that the adjustment of the sleeve 26 varies the compression of the spring 22 and thereby varies the pressure gg n at which the valve member i6 becomes unseated for pressure relief purposes. l

The valve is also provided with a top bonnet it which may be bolted to the bonnet 2t, as by bolts ti. The top bonnet t@ may comprise an ao integral casting having a 'bearing d2, Fig. 6, in which one end of a shaft dit is journalled and having 'a boss i5 receiving a packing gland d@ through which the shaft Mi extends. The top bonnetdd is also provided with a` horizontally exgg tending bracket il which is adapted to support the iiuid pressure motor, to be described, and to which may be bolted a bracket d3 carrying a bearing member t9 in which the other end of the shaft it is journalled. y so The top bonnet d0 may be provided with a port 52 to aii'ordaccess to the adjusting nuts 35 and 365 by which the relief pressure may be adjusted, and lwith a port 53 to adord access to an adjusting nut 5t which is carried upon the w upper end of the valve stem 2@ and provides the adjustment -for the fluid pressure motor linkage, to be described. The ports 52 and 53 may be closed by covers 55 and 56 respectively, which are held in fluid tight engagement with the top 50 bonnet 28 by means of washers 51 and 5t re spectively. The top bonnet 4U may also carry a boss 43 having an internally threaded port 50 in which a rod (not shown) may be screwedto engage 55 parts to their initial position.

the stem 29 and hold the valve member I6 against its seat. I5 for test purposes. This permits the vessel to be tested for pressures in excess of the relief pressure at which the valve normally opens, without the necessity for rst dismantling or changing the setting of the valve itself. The port 50 may be closed by a cap 5i during normal operation oi the valve.

The shaft 44 carries a pair of yokes 60, Figs. 5 and 6, having cam surfaces 6| which engage beneath a collar 59, secured by or forming a part of the adjusting nut 54 on the valve stem 20 and are adapted to elevate the valve stem when the shaft 44 is rotated. 'Ihe portion of the shaft 44 between the boss 45 and the bearing member 49 is provided with a attened section 62 to which an arm `63 is attached. The arm 63 is formed with a forked end 64, Fig. 5, which engages a pin 66 held between yokes 61, Fig. 2, carried by a rod 68.

Brackets 12 are formed on a block 13 which is attached, as by bolts 14, to the bracket 41 and carries at its upper end a lower housing 15 of a uid pressure motor 16. 'Ihe motor 18 is formed by an upper housing 11, which is attached to the lower housing 15, as by bolts 18 extending through peripheral fianges 19 and 80 formed on said housings 15 and 11 respectively. A diaphragm 82- is mounted between the anges 11 and 18. 'I'he lower housing 15 -is provided with a port 83 adapted to be connected. to a suitable A cap is attached to the top housing 11 and carries a spring 92 which engages a disc 9i resting against the diaphragm 82. 'I'he disc 9| and the head 81 may be secured together. as by rivets, if desired, so as to provide a positive lift for the link 84 when the diaphragm 82 is exed. 'I'he compression of the spring 92 may be adjusted by a set screws 93.

In the operation of the above described pressure relief valve, the valve is initially set by-suit able adjustment of the adjusting nut 35 and the stop-nut 36 to open when a'predetermined pressure is applied to the port Il and to thereby permit iluid to be 'discharged through the port I2 which may be connected to a suitable discharge line, not shown. The bonnet is normally closed to prevent escape of the iluid. The cover 55, however, may be removed when desired to ail'ord access to the adjusting nut 35 for the purpose of making necessaryv adjustments of the relief pressure at which the valve operates.

The valve may also be opened from a remote point by supplying uid pressure to the motor 16 through the port 83. 'I'his iiuid pressure lifts the diaphragm 82, thereby lifting the link 84 and the rod 68. The yoke 61, attached to the rod 68, lifts the arm 63 and thereby causes a corresponding rotational movement of the shaft 44. Rotation of the shaft '44, through the yokes 60 and the :ollar 59, lifts the valve stem 2li and physically motor l.16 is relieved, the springf92 restores the `In the construction shown, the adjustment-of densed moisture from freezing and interfering supports the motor 16 and the shaft 44 by which the motor linkage may be varied by removing th cover 56, which affords access to the adjust nut 54. It will be evident that this adjustment and also the adjustment of the relief pressure may be made without dismantling or removin the motor or the top bonnet. Furthermore, thes two adjustments may be made independently o each other and without disturbing the setting o either. the relief pressure or the motor linkage. 'I'he spring 92 is intended merely to return the parts after the fluid pressure has been relieved, although this spring may be used to bias the action of the diaphragm 82 if desired.

It will be noted that the diaphragm motor is entirely closed. Consequently, there is no free ilow of fluid therethrough and the accumulation of moisture by condensation, when air is used as the source of fluid pressure, is eliminated. This is an important feature as it prevents the conwith the operation of the mechanism.

The bushing I1 is intended to seal the valve against escape of fluid to the bonnet. As a further precaution, the packing gland 46 closes the top bonnet 40. Thevalve is thus adapted to be used for pressure relief purposes on vessels containing inflammable or dangerous fluids and prevents escape of any vapors into the atmosphere.

It will be noted that the bracket 41, which is formed as an integral part of the top bonnet 40,

the connection between the motor and the valve stem is made. The entire operating mechanism may accordingly be assembled as a unit apart from the valve itself and may be attachedto the bonnet 28 in the field by a single set of bolts, namely, the bolts 4I. 'I'he cost of installation is accordingly reduced and, in the event of replacement or repair, the cost and time required for removing the motor 16 and associated linkage is reduced to a minimum.

A valve of this type is primarily intended to be made in large sizes, suitable, for example, for use at the top of pressure vessels in oil'cracking plants. It is evident, therefore, that the valve parts are comparatively expensive and that the reduction in number of parts or the use of a single valve for both pressure relief purposes and remote control purposes materially decreases the cost of installation and maintenance. Furthermore, the v alve. is so arranged that inspection and adjustment may be made without disturbing the motor'and without releasing the pressure in the vessel to which the valve may be attached.

Itis to be noted that the remote control means, in addition to permitting manual operation of the valve for the purpose of emptying -the vessel or relieving the pressure therein, also provides means for intermittently operating the valve so as to maintain the valve in operating condition. This is an important feature because pressure relief valves remain inactive for long`periods of time and tend to stick unless they are inspected and manually operated at frequent intervals. In an oil cracking plant, for example, the maintenance ofl pressure relief valves is extremely difllcult due to their location on the tops of large towers. The remote control mechanism provides a convenient means'for testing such valves at intervals as well as for operating them when desired for relieving the pressure in or emptying the vessels. While the valves are intended to be operated by compressed air, itis evident that other uidpresl sure means may be substituted therefor if de- Sued.

While a particular embodiment of the invenf tion has been shown for purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that the invention is ca. pable of various uses and that various changes and modifications may be made therein, as will readily appear to a person skilled in the art. The invention is only to be limited by the following claims when interpreted in viewr of the prior art.

What is claimed is;

1. A remote controlled pressure relief valve. comprising a housing having a valve member and a valve seat therein, a valve stem carrying said valve member, spring means tending to hold said valve member against said valve seat and permitting said valve member to be elevated for pressure relief purposes in response to excess pressure applied below said member, means to adjust the compression of said spring means for varying the relief pressure at which the valve is adapted to operate, a collar carried on said valve stem, a. rotatable shaft journalled in said housing and having cam means engaging beneath said collar tolift said valve stem, means adjusting said collar with respect to said cam means, mechanical y linkage means for actuating said shaft and a fluid pressure motor connected to actuate said mechanical linkage means, said housing having ports for inspection and adjustment registering with said spring adjusting means and said collar adjusting means, respectively, and covers normally closing said ports to provide a iiuid tight housing. 2. A remote controlled pressure relief valve for an oil cracking plant, comprising a housing having a valve member and a valve seat therein, a valve stem carrying said valve member, spring means tending to hold said valve member against said valve seat and permitting said valve member to be elevated'for pressure relief purposes in response to excess pressure applied below said member, a closed bonnet attached to said housing, means carried in said bonnet for adjusting the compression of said spring, an adjustable collar carried by said valve stem, a rotatable shaft pivotally mounted in said bonnet, cam members attached to said shaft and engaging beneath said collar to lift said valve stem when said shaft is rotated, said housing having ports arranged to afford access to both of said adjusting means, covers for said ports normally closing said bonnet to prevent escape of fluid therefrom, and a iiuid pressure motor connected to actuate said shaft.

3. A remote controlled pressure relief valve for an oil cracking plant, comprising a housing having a valve member and a valve seat therein, a valve stem carrying said valvel member, spring means tending to hold said `valve member against said, valveseat and permitting said valve member to be elevated for pressure relief purposesl in response to excess pressure applied below said member, a bonnet attached to said housing` and enclosing the upper end of said valve stem, a collar carried by said valve stemja' horizontal shaft 'journalled in said bonnet, said shaft having 

